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Ghetto-Flo Intro
I was introduced to the “Ghetto-Flo” lights after reading the excellent blog of New York-based photographer Brad Trent. He had mounted 4 standard workshop flourescent light fixtures into light-stand mountable strip lights. “Ghetto-Flo” because they’re similar in use to the much more expensive Kino-Flo lights, though there are advantages to the later (variable power and output). This post stuck with me for a while, and one day I watched an excellent portrait video by Peter Hurley. In it, he used three large Kino-Flo lights in a triangular configuration to produce a wrapping light around his subjects. I knew, after seeing this, that I must have it – but I couldn’t afford his lights (or the Hasselblad, but seriously… who can?) I wanted to, for once, produce something on a budget. The only problem is that I’m not particularly handy. I failed shop-class and I
shouldn’t be let around power tools. That’s where Alex came in – he’s handy AND eager. After I laid out the plans, I let him take over:
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Aug 07, 2013 | Categories: Gear & Tutorials, Portraits | Tags: DIY, Gear, Lights, Photography, Portraits, Tutorial | Comments Off on Ghetto-Flo DIY: Making your own constant Flo lights for photography for cheap
Some subjects have no interest in having their portrait taken, they don’t want you there and even 5 minutes is too much to ask. Max wasn’t one of those people. What a delight to travel an hour out of Ottawa for an editorial photography job to come to the welcoming face of Max Hamlyn. A Registered Nurse who specializes in palliative at-home care: a tough gig to be sure. Max counters his daily encounters with end-of-life with an incredibly playful attitude.
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Jul 22, 2013 | Categories: Editorial, Portraits | Tags: Country, Editoral, Elinchrom, Nurse, Panorama, portrait, Quadra | Comments Off on In Print: Max Hamlyn for The Registered Practical Nursing Journal
Often I get caught up in the day-to-day of my work, prep, pack, shoot, load photos onto my computer, cull, process, proof, deliver – repeat. You can lose a bit of your creativity in this repetition, relying on more comfortable techniques and “safe” shots. There’s also the need to meet your clients vision, which, in some cases, isn’t necessarily your own. I mean, yes, I want to photograph and meet people, but sometimes the location isn’t exciting or I don’t get to do anything that’s particularly different than my last weeks client. I do it, they’re happy, and I still feel restless. It’s not them, it’s me.
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Jul 02, 2013 | Categories: Portraits | Tags: Blue Jays, Man, Moody, Ottawa, Ottawa_river, portrait, Rhythm Works, Tattoos, Troy_Sexton | Comments Off on Ottawa Portrait Photography: Troy
Sometimes a shoot just works out perfectly.
Erin’s a bit of an online friend, I had known *of* her for a number of years, following her exploits as she was married, had a lovely little daughter, and she’s helped come out and model for a few of my shoots with said adorable fam. When it came time for her to update her professional portraits, re-brand herself and her business, she chose me as her commercial portrait photographer (yay!).
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Jun 10, 2013 | Categories: Commercial, Portraits | Tags: Buildings, Business, City, Ottawa, Portraits, Professional, Quadra, Woman | Comments Off on Erin Blaskie: Digital Strategist
We worked pretty hard on the image above. Had them move, adjust, and straighten the ambulance in place. Set up our lights in and around the vehicle, then drafted someone to come and start the truck, to get the lights *going* for about 30 seconds as they ran out of the cab and ducked out of the shot. Since the lights alternate, there’s no one shot with all of them on, so we just had to keep shooting and pick the one that had the best balance. Of course, none of them were chosen to finally make it to print, *sigh* them’s the breaks.
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Jun 04, 2013 | Categories: Editorial, Portraits | Tags: Editorial Portrait, Environmental Portrait, Ottawa, Ottawa_Woman, Paramedic, portrait, Strobist, Valerie Jacques | Comments Off on Ottawa Environmental Portrait Photographer: Valerie Jacques for Ottawa Woman
